NewsCubs make switch at hitting coach
Team replaces Perry with Triple-A Iowa's Joshua
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
06/14/09 6:52 PM ET
CHICAGO -- In an effort to get out of their offensive funk, the Cubs dismissed hitting coach Gerald Perry on Sunday and will promote Triple-A Iowa hitting coach Von Joshua to take over the job.
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The Cubs began play Sunday ranked 13th in the National League in hitting with a .246 average, well below last year's numbers. They led the league in runs in 2008, but are 14th this season.
"When the team's doing wrong, somebody has to pay," Chicago's Alfonso Soriano said. "Last year, nobody said anything, we had the best year offensively, and [Perry] is the best hitting coach. This year, we have a little problem, and now he's the worst. That's the game."
Lou Piniella has tinkered with the lineup as the Cubs try to stay in the National League Central race without Aramis Ramirez, who dislocated his left shoulder May 8. The offense, however, wasn't really clicking before Ramirez got hurt. He's not expected to return until early July.
"Obviously, we've been struggling for a long time," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said. "I'm not one to dump all the blame on coaches. I've never made a coaching change to my knowledge in the middle of the year. I think sometimes you need a different voice."
The top hitting player in Sunday's lineup was shortstop Ryan Theriot at .278. Soriano was hitting .233, Milton Bradley .226 and Geovany Soto .209.
"Every day, we have five guys in the lineup who have played in the All-Star Game," Hendry said. "For whatever reason, they are not performing anywhere close to where they've performed in their careers. Sometimes you have to try something different, and sometimes it's a different voice maybe saying the same things.
"I never feel good about a coach taking the blame for the failures of our ballclub."
"Gerald did everything in his power -- everything aside from going out there and hitting for us," Theriot said. "It's unfortunate. He's a coach and a friend. We'll miss him. Hopefully, things will get better."
It was a difficult move for Piniella, who had Perry on his staff in Seattle (2000-02) and with him in Chicago since '07.
"It's tough on me, because I've been with Gerald a long time, six years," Piniella said. "This was an organizational decision. Gerald and I were together in Seattle and together here in Chicago. We've had success together. I thank him for all the hard work that he's put in on my staffs."
Joshua is in his fourth year at Iowa and has been a hitting coach since 1984 and has worked at the big league level with the White Sox. He's worked with several of the Cubs in the Minors, including Theriot, Mike Fontenot and Micah Hoffpauir.
Perry was at Wrigley Field on Sunday, and taking part in batting practice when he was called off the field around 11 a.m. CT and into the clubhouse. The players said Perry thanked each of them for their hard work.
"He's part of the family," Soriano said. "When you lose part of the family, it has an effect. We don't have time to think about it now. Now we have to focus and play the game and score some runs and try to win."
Joshua was to be in uniform for Tuesday's Interleague game between the Cubs and White Sox.
"He's got a good way about him and probably a different approach," Hendry said. "He's done very well with us at Triple-A."
"Von is a very dear friend of mine," Theriot said. "He's one of the best I've ever had, and I think he'll do a great job.
"We've all basically had the best years of our careers with Von," Theriot said. "You go back to Matt Murton, Adam Greenberg, Felix Pie, and obviously Micah last year. We've all had him, and he'll do a great job."
Piniella has expressed frustration with the lack of offense. Saturday's 2-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins was the 13th time in the last 23 games the Cubs have scored two runs or less.
"We just need to start swinging the bats," Piniella said. "We have to start hitting better -- everybody knows that."
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
